Ira halstead



Nrrn rares Fries.

erster FLUEOR STOVgEPlPE CLEANEFLl sPEcIFroA'rIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,350, dated october i, 1895.

Application iiled December I, 1894..

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, IRA HALs'rEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mason City, in the county of Mason and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue or Stovepipe Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to improvements in flue and stovepipe cleaners; and the novelty consists in the peculiar and novel construction of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a device ofthe class above named, to effectually clean and thoroughly remove soot or other matter from a stovepipe or other flue without removing the pipe from the stove or the aperture in the wall, and which can be manufactured for a trifling cost.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication, and in which I have shown an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a stovepipe and portions of a flue and stove, showing my improved cleaner in a position therein for operation. Fig. 2 is a similar View showingthe position ot' the cleaner in solid lines when not in use and in dotted lines in a position for the discharge of the soot into the stove. Fig. 3 is a side View of the cleaner. Fig. 4. is a view taken horizontally through an elbow-shaped stovepipe, showing my scraper provided with a flexible Wire operating-rod to enable it to bend in the pipe and to adapt the cleaner to operate in irregularly-shaped pipes. i

Referring by letter to the drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, A A designate two sections of a stovepipe of the ordinary pattern, which are connected at their meeting ends by an elbow B. The lower end of the section A connects with the stove, while the outer end of the section A communicates with a flue B.

C designates my improved cleaner or scraper, which consists of a disk or plate C and an operating rod or handle c, which is aftixed at one end to the center of the disk.

Serial No. 530.548. (No model.)

C2 designates the radial strengthening braces, preferably three in number, each ot' which is secured at one end to the outer edge of the disk C', and at its outer end to the rod c, as shown, the function of these braces be ing to thoroughly strengthen the disk and to prevent it from becoming bent out of shape or disconnected from the operating-rod. It will be observed in. providing these braces, I first solder or otherwise secure them at one end to the side of the disk that faces the ue and a short distance from the outer edge of the disk, and the ends are bent back on the rod c, to which they are secured by solder or in any other desired manner. By constructing the braces in this manner I form projec tions at suitable points ct around the periphery of the disk or plate, which thus enables it to be readily and easily moved back and forth, and avoid catching on the upturned ends of the pipe-sections, as will be readily understood.

The operation of my invention is as follows: In order to clean an ordinary stovepipe where two sections are employed, it is necessary to first insert the cleaner in the `horizontal section, so that the disk will assume a vertical position andrest with its side against the rear wall of the flue and allow the operating-rod to extend through the section. In the elbow is provided an opening through which the rod passes,| and this end of the rod is extended a short distance beyond the elbow and is formed into aloop to provide a'handle. The operatingrod can be drawn forward until the disk reaches the vertical pipe, where the soot will fall into the section A and thence to the stove, thus thoroughly and entirely cleaning the stovepipe, as shown in Fig. 2.

If there are a number of sections of a stovepipe which are connected by a series of elbows, I propose to use a piece of cable or other flexible wire, which `extends through the pipe and elbows and is attached to the disk, and then attach to the outer end of the iiexible Wire a stiff wire, as shown by Fig. fl. I am thus enabled by means of this soft flexible wire to move the disk or cleaner back and forth in the pipes and dues and around the angles of the elbows.

Slight changes can be made in the .form

and proportion of parts of my invention Withthe disk, and a flexible continuous rod or outdeparting from the spirit or gist thereof. Wire connected to the stem and adapted to Having thus fully described my invention, bend in passing around angles or corners of What I claim as new, and desire to secure by an irregular stove pipe, substantially as and x5 5 Letters Patent ofthe United States, isfor the purposes described.

As a new article of manufacture, the stove In testimony whereof I affix my signature pipe cleaner herein shown and described in presence of tWo Witnesses.

comprising a disk C, a central operating stem, IRA HALSTEAD. a series of braces rigid with said stem and Witnesses: 1o joined to the disk to form lifting knobs or JAMES R. TRENARY,

shoulders Which extend beyond the edges of ALONZO THOMAS. 

